


Will You Try Again?

by MantaRae



Category: Deltarune (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author loves to chat in comments, Death, Foreshadowing, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, In a way, Inspired by Doki Doki Literature Club!, It gets crazy, King is abusive, Lesser Dad, Lesser dad? More like Greater dad, Lots of it, Major character death - Freeform, Will you try again?, kinda???, king is canceled, pure angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-08-28 09:19:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16720617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MantaRae/pseuds/MantaRae
Summary: Lancer wants to help his friends defeat his father, but what he finds is not was he expects.





	1. Chapter 1

IT APPEARS YOU HAVE REACHED    
AN END.

 

WILL YOU TRY AGAIN?

  
  


YES      > NO

.

.

.

 

THEN THE WORLD    
WAS COVERED    
IN DARKNESS.

 

__________

 

Okay, this was it.

 

Lancer had a plan to overrule his father. There was no way he was going to let him continue ruling after what had just happened. He shivered, the memories of his own dad holding him by the neck and threatening to drop him off of the edge is something Lancer wouldn’t forget anytime soon.

 

His father was, as his Lesser dad would say, a ‘cruel and terrifying monarch’. Everyone knew this, and there was no denying it, as much as Lancer wished he could. He used to want to be like his father, but now? He was glad he was nothing like him.

 

The boy ran through the halls of the palace, planning on meeting his friends and maybe helping them defeat his father. He knew they were strong, and Susie promise they would be okay, but still, a little help wouldn’t hurt, right? After all, they were still a team. Technically, he was a member of his own fan club! And a fan club has to stick together and look out for each other. 

 

As the hallway became brighter, he could see all three of his friends, on the ground, and his father still in battle stance. Lancer tilted his head in slight confusion. 

 

_ What a weird battle tactic!  _ Lancer thought to himself, approaching closer to his friends.  _ Well, it seems to be working! My father isn’t attacking anymore. Hooray for them!  _

 

He heard his father chuckle coldly, as he soon approached his friends.

 

“Guess what?” Lancer exclaimed proudly, stepping closer to Susie. “I’ve come to help you guys! Isn’t that…” He trailed off, staring at his three friends, none of them responding. “Susie? Guys?”

 

Crouching down, he nudged Susie’s shoulder gently. No response. “Come on… wake up!” he exclaimed. “You should know sleeping isn’t good for battle!” 

 

“She isn’t asleep.” The king said coldly, a dark grin etched on his face. “Neither of them are. See for yourself, son.”

 

Lancer looked around. He soon noticed that Ralsei didn’t even seem to be there, and only his scarf, hat, and cloak remained. Kris was bleeding from their mouth, and even their armor was covered in the dark liquid. Susie herself had multiple gashes. 

 

He covered his mouth with his hands, tears rolling down his cheeks. His father stepped closer to him.

 

“ _ This,”  _ he began, gesturing to Lancer’s friends, who were now dead. “is what happens when you betray your own father, your own kingdom!” Lancer flinched as the king picked Susie’s dead body up by the collar. “This is your fault, for getting too attached! If you had just killed them like I had asked you to, you wouldn’t feel this pain you are now.”

 

He threw her body back to the floor. A small sob escaped Lancer’s throat as he recoiled in fear. “You have always been a disappoint,” his father spat. “Luckily I stopped them from destroying our glorious fountain. Such a shame I had to destroy them to do so.”

 

“They d-didn’t want to hurt you!” Lancer let out a small sob. “I know them! Susie said she would try to reason with you! How c-could you-”

 

“They. Are. Scum!” His father grabbed Lancer by the throat. “You are just too  _ stupid  _ to realize it! You made  _ friends  _ with them. You  _ traitor.”  _

 

Lancer trembled, struggling in his father’s grasp. He gasped for air, attempting to pry his way out of the tight grip. “I-I’m sorry...j-just-”

 

“SHUT UP!” His grip tightened, teeth bared. “You’re  _ lucky  _ I was able to kill them. The world will soon be buried in darkness, now that our fountain is safe from harm. I don’t believe I can say the same for you.”

 

He threw his son on the ground, growling. “I have business to attend to. Don’t bother me.”

 

Lancer got on his knees. As his father stepped over him and his friends, Lancer raised his hand and summoned multiple spades. They sliced into the back of his father, causing him to stumble. Lancer, while his father was distracted, ran toward the fountain. He limped slightly, but ignored the pain.

 

He had no idea how, but he was going to fix this. 

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When all else fails, turn to who you love the most.

 

Everyone knew about the prophecy.

 

Everyone, knew that the fountain would possibly, no, _surely_ mean the end of the world.

 

Everyone, even Lancer, knew about the three heroes.

 

Originally, Susie, Ralsei, and Kris were those three heroes, Lancer assumed. Susie was a lightener, a monster, and he could only assume Kris was a human. Ralsei was a prince, a lonely one, sure, but still, a prince.

 

In the short time he spent running toward the fountain, he could only think one thing, and that he was _not_ going to let his friends die in vain.

 

“Get BACK here you little _shit!”_ `

 

A sharp pain sliced through Lancer’s backside, causing him to cry out and stumble to his knees. His father, turned him over, holding him down by the throat. “I am _sick_ of y-”

 

“Your majesty!” The king’s grip loosened as his head whipped in the direction the voice had come from.

 

“Not now, Kaard,” he sneered. “I’m busy.”

 

Relief flooded Lancer’s body. His lesser dad was sure to help. Rouxls Kaard was there. It was okay. He attempted to call out for him, but all that came out was a strangled whine. His breathing had already become short and choppy.

 

“I am aware, sire. Hence why I am offering to taketh care of thy son.”

 

The king of spades hesitated for a moment, his face slightly scrunched in annoyance.  Rouxls continued.

 

“After all, one does havest work to do and all.”

 

The king growled quietly, but released Lancer from his grip. The boy gasped, doubling over and wheezing. It felt as if the inside of his throat had been torn, but he could even slightly breathe, at least.

 

The king of spades stepped closer to Rouxls, leaning in. “He deserves discipline, be sure to give him such.”

 

Rouxls Kaard simply nodded, although he didn’t really plan on ‘disciplining’ the poor boy. When Rouxls was sure the king was not in earshot of the two, he approached Lancer, crouching down to his height.

 

He was still catching his breath, but that did not stop Lancer from running into Rouxls Kaard’s arms, small sobs escaping his throat. Rouxls hugged him back, gently of course, whispering reassurances to him.

 

Rouxls hated the king more with every moment that passed. He just couldn’t understand how someone could hurt their own kingdom, their own _son._ There were countless times Lancer had ran to him in tears, telling him about how his father hurt him again, how he just wanted to _be_ like him.

 

If anything, Rouxls Kaard prayed that Lancer would end up _nothing_ like his father.

 

After a few more moments of embrace, Rouxls lifted the small boy up, turning toward where the rest of the kingdom would be. “W-wait!” Lancer’s voice was slightly hoarse, but it didn’t stop him from protesting. “I n-need to go…”

 

Rouxls shook his head. “Doth not worry. I simply want thou to be healed. I can’t haveth you leave when you’re hurt. We shall hurry.”  

 

Lancer said nothing in response. He only nodded and buried his face into the crook of Rouxls’s neck, attempting to avoid seeing his dead friends. However, he still caught glance of them, only this time, all that remained of Susie was her armor and a trail of dust.

 

This only made Lancer sob.

 

Rouxls attempted to sooth him, and once they had arrived at Rouxls’s shop, he sat Lancer down gently and grabbed a container of fragrance sauce. As soon as he handed it to him, the boy ate it rather quickly.

 

Rouxls couldn’t tell if he was in a hurry or hadn’t eaten in days, and he could only assume it was both.

 

Some of the pain Lancer had melted away, but a few stray scrapes and bruises remained on his body. Luckily, nothing too fatal.

 

Rouxls sat next to him, opening his mouth but not knowing what to say.

 

“I-I don’t...I don’t want them to just die for no reason! But…” Lancer trailed off, staring at the empty container in his hands.

 

“What doth thou hast in mind?” Rouxls asked, taking the empty container and sitting it on a nearby shelf. He then kneeled down in front holding his slightly trembling hands.

 

“Well...I-I kinda scrambled it up at the last minute...I want to seal the fountain...but I don’t know how I can do it! The legend said a human and a monster would...and a prince from the dark, but they…” He trailed off, tensing up slightly. “You c-can’t seal the fountain without a human soul... so I think...maybe...I could go to the Lighteners’ world, and find a human and a-a monster? I-I’m a prince...kinda. So it could still work!”

 

Rouxls let go of Lancer’s hands, but only to wipe a few stray tears from his cheeks. “I thinketh thou art onto something...”

 

“But i-is it even possible? For me to go to there?”

 

“I hast faith in thou, Lancer. If I may be so bold as to say this, but with thine's love, compassion, integrity…” He paused for a moment, attempting to find the right words. He didn't want to say something that may upset or hurt Lancer without meaning to. “...I thinketh anything is possible if you try.”

 

Before Rouxls could say anymore, Lancer tackled him in a hug. He said nothing, he only held on tight.

 

The duke of puzzles was slightly taken by surprise, but nonetheless, returned the sentimental embrace. Rouxls was left quite speechless, and anything he planned on saying he believed wouldn’t sound right for that exact moment.

 

After a few moments, Lancer pulled away. “I-I might need to go now...I don’t think I have a lot of time.”

 

“Thou art correct.” Rouxls stood up, holding Lancer’s hand. He was still shaking, but not as much as he had earlier.

 

Rouxls knew this was not something to be taken lightly. Lancer’s father had always harmed Lancer in some way, but harming his friends was something he knew would take a toll on him for the rest of his life.

 

“Now, I shall walketh with thou, in case thine’s fa-” he paused, figuring he should rephrase his statement. He cleared his throat. “-so you remaineth safe.”

 

Lancer said nothing, instead, he simply nodded, and together, they made their way to the fountain.

 

When the two reached where Lancer’s friend’s originally lied, they both realised that none of them where there anymore. Rouxls Kaard assumed the king had moved them, and he could feel Lancer’s grip on his hand tighten in response.

 

Rouxls wished he could only do more.

 

They made it to the fountain. It was all happening so fast, neither of them could even process it. The different colors of the fountain glowed, and, despite being a _dark_ fountain, it was almost blinding.

 

Bending down to Lancer’s height, Rouxls Kaard put a hand on his shoulder. “Doth thou wisheth for me to accompany you?”

 

Lancer thought for a moment. “I think…” he paused. “...I think I need to do this alone.”

 

Rouxls Kaard simply nodded, hugging Lancer one final time. The small boy hugged back.

 

“Thank you, dad,” he whispered. Rouxls’s eyes widened. He was used to being called Lancer’s ‘Lesser dad’, but just simply ‘dad’ was entirely new.  A sad smile appeared on Rouxls’s lips,

 

This kid was going to be the death of him.

 

“Thou art welcome…” Rouxls replied, with slight hesitation, but no less sincere.

 

After separating from the embrace, Lancer stepped closer to the fountain, looking over his shoulder.

 

A strong emotion filled him from his head to his toes, leaving his previously trembling hands into balls of fists. Memories of him and Susie training, memories of him, Ralsei, and Kris becoming friends during battle, all of them swirling around his head.

 

He was filled with strength, integrity…

 

_...determination._

 

He waved goodbye to Rouxls Kaard, before ripping off the plaster, stepping into the fountain without a second thought.

 

The world around him began to shift.

 

His adventure would truly begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, I absolutely love Lesser Dad, King Spades is cancelled okay


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bottle has to overflow at some point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter's a lot shorter than the others. I really wanted to include this scene and it just seemed better on it's own

It would be a lie if Rouxls Kaard said he wasn’t absolutely terrified. 

 

As much as he used to hate to admit it, he cared for Lancer, and every ounce of him was screaming for him to go on the adventure with him. 

 

But he refused. 

 

Lancer said he had to go to the Lightener’s world on his own, and Rouxls couldn’t just  _ disagree.  _ It was so complicated, he wanted to make sure Lancer would be okay, but at the same time…

 

It wasn’t just if Lancer got hurt up there, (of course, that was a huge concern regardless), but what if Lancer saw the lighteners’ families? What would he say to them? How would they react?

 

Rouxls formed a plan: if Lancer did not return in ten days, Rouxls would go find him. 

 

In the meantime, he’d just have to sit through and worry. He was quite terrible at that. 

 

It felt as though all of his choices would lead to someone getting hurt. His mind seemed trapped, and there was no possible way to teleport out of it. 

 

The darkener sat in his shop, drumming his fingers against the desk. He had waited to leave the fountain a few minutes after Lancer had left. (He wanted to make sure everything was okay.) The darkener’s eyes averted to a sheet of paper he kept on one of his shelves. He stood up, grabbing it from the shelf and holding it in his hands. 

 

On it was a poorly drawn picture of him, Lancer, and the king, all smiling and holding hands. Lancer had drawn it a long time ago, before his father became cruel and cold hearted. 

 

This made Rouxls Kaard think a lot.

 

The king was once a kindhearted person, who would never lay a finger on his son if it meant harming him. People have always said that others don’t change. So was the king always cruel hearted? Or does he still have good inside him?

 

Rouxls wished to go for the latter, but… 

 

He shook his head, dismissing the thought from his mind. Besides, he had a lot of other stuff to worry about. 

 

“Rouxls Kaard!”

 

The darkener jumped in surprise, dropping the drawing. He looked up, noticing the king was standing at his doorway, He cleared his throat, straightening his posture before replying. “I apologiseth your majesty. I did not notice thine’s presence.” 

 

The king of spades just grumbled in response, dismissing Rouxls’s apology with the wave of his hand. 

 

“Where’s my son?” The king asked coldly. “You said you’d discipline him.”

 

Rouxls blinked, not quite sure how to respond. He shook his head.    
  


“I said no sucheth thing.” he retorted under his breath.

 

The king of spades stepped closer. “I have no time for your ‘puzzles’, Kaard. Now where is my son!?”

 

The duke of puzzles flinched, but managed to keep his posture. “Thine’s son is going to saveth the world,” he said, without thinking. “He’s braver than thou will ever be.”

 

He stepped closer, his glare seemingly throwing daggers. “And thou?” he spat, his anger unable to be controlled at this point. “Thou art a shit father. I hope you burneth in hell.”

 

Without saying another word, Rouxls Kaard teleported out of the shop, leaving the king dumbfounded, speechless, and utterly pissed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh the king can fucketh right off


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foreshadowing, Lancer is confused, irritated, and determined

Lancer had basiphobia, there was no doubt about it. 

 

It may of been because of his father’s threats towards him, or maybe the feeling was simply unsettling. Regardless, Lancer hated falling. 

 

Whether he would fall off of his bike when he was back in the dark world, or at that exact moment of leaving it, the feeling of falling sent Lancer to a wave of unease and panic. The darkener tried to keep himself from screaming, but it was no use. 

 

Was he even falling? It sure felt like it, but it could’ve been magic, or him slipping into a new universe and whatnot, but Lancer had not the mindset nor the patience to thing of that at that moment. 

 

When it seemed an eternity, he finally landed. He took a few deep breaths, then stood up.

 

He couldn’t see anything, the boy could only see black. 

 

_ Am I in the void? _ He thought to himself. It was a silly thought, sure, but he still had to examine all the possibilities at this point. He knew the world liked to bend the rules. 

 

_ The void. Oh gee…  _ Lancer stumbled around in the pitch black, reaching his arms out.  _ How am I supposed to seal the fountain when I’m in the v- _

 

Wait, no. Voids do not have light switches. He was indeed, not in the void. 

 

Lancer flipped the switch, immediately blinded by the lights. When his eyes finally adjusted, he examined the things around him.

 

The first thing he noticed, was that he looked different. Nothing about his shape or size changed, but he was now wearing a hoodie, which was more of a cyan than a dark blue. He patted the top of his head, feeling soft curls between his fingers which were no longer gloved. 

 

_ Weird… _

 

The boy looked around the room, noticing many familiar things. Checker pieces, playing cards, and puzzles, all of them so similar to his home. He even saw a worn stuffed cat that reminded him of the shopkeeper in the fields. 

 

This made him utterly confused.

 

He shook his head of the thought, not bothering to connect the dots at that very moment. It was not the right moment after all.

 

The corridors were lit up only by the sunlight outside, which Lancer found strange yet amazing at the same time. He had never seen the sun before. It would be much more fascinating if the darkener didn’t have more important things to do. 

 

Still, it was all so new to him. Lancer wished he could just run around the halls and explore the building as much as he could. He turned, his eyes meeting the end of the corridor, where the two doors had sunlight pouring in from the little glass windows. 

 

Pushing open the doors, the light blinded his eyes, causing him to squeeze them shut until he felt they had adjusted. When he had a chance to look around, Lancer noticed the town seemed rather friendly, for some monsters were outside, chatting away. 

 

_ The Libraby?  _ Lancer questioned, looking at the building near the school. Lancer had never heard of a ‘Libraby’, he was curious. 

 

_ Alright, back on track, Lancer.  _ He thought to himself.  _ Now, how will I find a monster and a human, how will I chose? _

 

He walked into the Libraby, glancing at the new surroundings. The walls were covered in shelves and shelves of books, and a few posters and stray pieces of paper hung on the walls.

 

“HA, I doubt it. Knowing Susie she probably beat them up and got expelled for it. It’s about time too.”

 

Lancer’s head turned to the sound of Susie’s name, listening intently to the gossip that was being spread. A bird like monster, and a snake like monster were talking back and forth. 

 

“Yo, maybe they just skipped class?”

 

The bird like monster snorted, rolling his eyes. “No way, Susie wouldn’t let Kris go that easily. She beat them up, plain and simple. Serves ‘em right. They have always been a creep. And Susie isn’t called a mean girl for nothing ya’ know!”

 

“Susie isn’t mean. And Kris isn’t creepy either.” Lancer butt in. Not meaning to, of course, but he didn’t have the heart to just stand there and and listen to them talk about his friends like that, especially after…

 

“How do YOU know?” Lancer took a closer look at the monster’s name tag, reading “Berdly” written in permanent marker. 

 

“I know them, they’re both really nice you know.” He frowned. “You could learn a thing or two from them.”

 

Berdly glared at the darkener. The other monster he had been talking too had moved from the conversation and gone back to a project he had been working on. 

 

“Listen her-”

 

“The kid’s right you know.” A soft voice spoke up, causing Lancer and Berdly to look in that direction. 

 

“Noelle, this isn-”

 

“Hush, I came to see if we can work on our project but now obviously isn’t the best time…” Noelle glanced at Lancer kindly, a soft smile spread across her face. “What’s your name? You seem new.”

 

Lancer ignored Berdly’s annoyed huffing in the background, and stated his name. “And you’re Noelle?”

 

“The one and only!” The deer winked, giggling softly. “Would you like to come with me to visit my friend? She’s working right now but we can order some hot chocolate or soda. And you can tell me where you’re from, yeah?”

 

Lancer’s first thought was how he normally wasn’t aloud to have sugary drinks, but he pushed that aside. This girl seemed to know Susie and Kris, and she so far seemed like someone who would want to save the world, right? He would need to talk to her about the dark world, about what happened to the three heroes, two of which she knew…

 

_ Oh boy… _

 

“Uh...y-yeah.”

 

Noelle smiled and waved for Lancer to follow her, both of them exiting the Libraby. The both of them ignored Berdly’s irritated grumbling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I intended for this chapter to be longer, but i kinda split it into two separate chapters so I mean 
> 
> Things have been hectic, but it's good to be back :')
> 
> Side note: Auto correct hates my alternate word for Library lmao


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The best place to hide is insanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot shorter than most chapters, but its somethin'. I might combine this chapter with the previous one some other time

“Have you disposed of the bodies?”

 

Rudinn followed quickly behind the king, panting heavily as they tried to keep up. “Yes your majest-”

 

“What about the traitor, did you find him!?” he snapped, his booming voice echoing through the halls of the castle along with their footsteps. 

 

“N-not yet, you-” 

 

The king turned suddenly, stopping right in front of the darkener. Rudinn nearly tripped, trying to regain their balance from the sudden stop. 

 

“Find. Him.” He leaned in closer, Rudinn flinched. “You don’t want the same fate as the lighteners, do you? I’ll be  _ sure  _ to shove every single piece of jewelry down your  _ throat _ , and it will be worth nothing anymore. I want that traitor DEAD!”

 

The smaller darkener trembled slightly, but nodded sternly. “Y-yes your majesty. Although I wouldn’t suggest  _ you  _ kill Roux-”

 

“What are you talking about!?” 

 

“W-well, Rouxls Kaard is a public figure, if you were to kill him, some of the s-subjects might be angry.”

 

King Spades pondered for a few moments, each second bringing a larger weight onto Rudinn’s chest. 

 

“Very well then. I have a plan.” He stood straight, turning so his back faced the diamond centered creature. 

 

“Yes your majesty…?

___________

 

Rudinn sucked in a deep breath, each step echoing louder and louder as it seemed. This place gave them a headache. 

 

The man the King had told them to pay a visit to had a bad reputation. He was not right in the head, everyone feared him except maybe Lancer, who used to visit him often. He was known for violent attacks and silly questionings that had made some people go nearly as mad as him. 

 

Any lighting that was even in the dark world was even dimmer here, it was rather eerie and unsettling. 

 

After the long walk, Rudinn paused, nervously trembling. “Hello…?”

 

Color flickered in their peripheral, a small giggle was heard from all directions. Two gloved hands gripped the prison bars, allowing Rudinn to see the man’s full body. The sound of circus music ringed all around, chaos and fear filling the entirety of Rudinn’s head.

 

Finally, the man spoke.

 

“UEE HEE HEE! A VISITOR, VISITOR!”

 


End file.
